Atheist Nexus2015-03-31T21:49:15ZCarolynhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Carolyn148http://api.ning.com:80/files/*JoV1omPzSOsQrv1SgCA8GLfmDrBW6312Cw0dOFNj9LvotFEPsf9kibAB05WW1s2GvLVmDUcUwG3J-LptH8nfi3cMN86hBca/1039406504.jpeg?xgip=0%3A37%3A269%3A269%3B%3B&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/pennsylvaniaatheists/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=2wejo1y77f47c&feed=yes&xn_auth=noScranton-area LTE calls AA and FFRF "hate groups"tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-10-11:2182797:Topic:20720822012-10-11T12:02:12.459ZCarolynhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Carolyn148
<p>Americans should fight atheist 'hate groups'</p>
<p> </p>
<p>October 9, 2012</p>
<p>Standard-Speaker</p>
<p><a href="http://standardspeaker.com/opinion/letters/americans-should-fight-atheist-hate-groups-1.1385122">http://standardspeaker.com/opinion/letters/americans-should-fight-atheist-hate-groups-1.1385122</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Editor,</p>
<p>In 1963, a woman named Madalyn Murray O'Hair founded a non-profit group called American Atheists. In 1976, the year of the 200th birthday of the United…</p>
<p>Americans should fight atheist 'hate groups'</p>
<p> </p>
<p>October 9, 2012</p>
<p>Standard-Speaker</p>
<p><a href="http://standardspeaker.com/opinion/letters/americans-should-fight-atheist-hate-groups-1.1385122">http://standardspeaker.com/opinion/letters/americans-should-fight-atheist-hate-groups-1.1385122</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Editor,</p>
<p>In 1963, a woman named Madalyn Murray O'Hair founded a non-profit group called American Atheists. In 1976, the year of the 200th birthday of the United States, a liberal feminist named Annie Laurie Gaylor, along with her mother, founded another non-profit group very similar to American Atheists called the Freedom From Religion Foundation, (FFRF).</p>
<p>Over time, the AA and the FFRF, under both O'Hair's and Gaylor's radical leaderships, began illegally interfering in schools and local and state governments of America trying to force them to remove anything religious on their property through threats of lawsuits. Both the AA and FFRF, today, are still pursuing these similar actions.</p>
<p>In their eyes, their "reason" for doing this is because these themes being portrayed on public property are a so-called violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of a religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." To the AA and FFRF, this phrase literally means separation of church and state, even though the words "Separation of Church and State" are nowhere found anywhere in the Constitution.</p>
<p>After all the threatening actions that have been done by the AA and the FFRF against schools and governments, there's only one way to best describe these two liberal atheist organizations: they are hate groups. If they weren't hate groups, they wouldn't be bashing or criticizing Americans just because they have religious backgrounds and trying to force their secular views on them or on schools or on governments.</p>
<p>Truth be known, the only reason the FFRF and AA want complete and total separation of church and state is because they hate religions and want them outlawed in the United States and the rest of the world.</p>
<p>And why do these two liberal groups hate religions so much? Well, in their own perspective, they claim that religions are responsible for all the wars and conflicts in world history. These include the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the Salem witch hunts. While this is all true and indeed accurate, it is still ignorant of the liberal atheists to be putting the blame on religions for all the problems in America and in the world today. They need to understand that religions are absolutely nothing like they were thousands of years ago. Religious people, a very large majority of them, are peaceful, and even they condemn the old crusades, inquisition, and witch hunts. Bottom line: the majority of religions have changed virtuously.</p>
<p>To the point of all this, I believe that it's time for the American Atheists and the Freedom From Religion Foundation to stop their intolerant and prejudiced actions against religions and to leave innocent religious people alone. It's time for them to stop living in the dark past of the crusades and witch hunts and start moving on and living in the moment. It's time for them to stop forcing their secular atheistic views on schools, people, and the local, state and federal governments.</p>
<p>And most of all, it's time for the American people to start standing up for religious freedom and liberty and to start standing up against these two hateful liberal atheist groups and end their prejudices against religions once and for all.</p>
<p>God Bless America, always and forever.</p>
<p>Michael Puhak,</p>
<p>Conyngham</p> 2012 the "Year of the Bible" in Pennsylvania? Passed unanimously in House; our state senators need to hear from us.tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2012-02-01:2182797:Topic:18435912012-02-01T06:09:13.697ZCarolynhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Carolyn148
<p><em><a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/01/28/its-the-year-of-the-bible-in-pennsylvania/" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/bn4LKANE44CJyIDly2yPu99K3*kQIodpim5e7cSooGFIt4xNUvERRxtkIFBRr*lX3E*bmzfSS2V4UE1uNh-i4RuNpx2oZLpb/smcopyYearoftheBible.jpg" width="310"></img></a> Not a single state representative</em> opposed the "noncontroversial" resolution <a href="http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&amp;sessYr=2011&amp;sessInd=0&amp;billBody=H&amp;billTyp=R&amp;billNbr=0535&amp;pn=2983" target="_blank">H.R. 535</a>, passed last week …</p>
<p><em><a target="_blank" href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/01/28/its-the-year-of-the-bible-in-pennsylvania/"><img class="align-full" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/bn4LKANE44CJyIDly2yPu99K3*kQIodpim5e7cSooGFIt4xNUvERRxtkIFBRr*lX3E*bmzfSS2V4UE1uNh-i4RuNpx2oZLpb/smcopyYearoftheBible.jpg" width="310"/></a>Not a single state representative</em> opposed the "noncontroversial" resolution <a href="http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&amp;sessYr=2011&amp;sessInd=0&amp;billBody=H&amp;billTyp=R&amp;billNbr=0535&amp;pn=2983" target="_blank">H.R. 535</a>, passed last week <a href="http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/RC/Public/rc_view_action2.cfm?sess_yr=2011&amp;sess_ind=0&amp;rc_body=H&amp;rc_nbr=1089" target="_blank">193-0</a> by all reps present. Flouting both the U.S. and Pennsylvania constitutions, it opens with</p>
<blockquote><p>WHEREAS, <strong>The Bible, the word of God</strong>, has made a unique contribution in shaping the United States as a distinctive and blessed nation and people;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and after presenting more distorted pseudo-history, goes on to declare</p>
<blockquote><p><em>That the House of Representatives declare 2012 as the “Year of the Bible” in Pennsylvania in recognition of both the formative influence of the Bible on our Commonwealth and nation and <strong>our national need to study and apply the teachings of the holy scriptures</strong>.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The sponsor, Rick Saccone, explained his rationale in overtly religious terms:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>....House Resolution 535 serves as a reminder that we must look to our faith in God and the Holy Scripture to provide us with the strength, wisdom and courage to conquer these great trials....</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://ffrf.org/uploads/legal/PAYearofthebible.pdf" target="_blank">The scathing rebuke</a> FFRF co-presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor wrote to the House leaders is worth reading in full, with its rebuttals of the resolution's premises.</p>
<blockquote><p>The Pennsylvania Assembly has no business telling citizens which god to recognize, which so-called holy book to "study," much less directing citizens to "apply its teachings."<br/>...[<a href="http://ffrf.org/uploads/legal/PAYearofthebible.pdf" target="_blank">two pages snipped</a>]...<br/>The Pennsylvania Senate must have the enlightened sense to bury this vacuous, posturing, and pandering resolution.<br/>Here is our message to electioneering politicians in Pennsylvania and everywhere: The economy is in shambles, many Americans are jobless and homeless. Quit with the gratuitous religion. Get off your knees and get to work!</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When I called my state senator's office to urge that this resolution be killed, they said I was the first to call about it!</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/01/28/its-the-year-of-the-bible-in-pennsylvania/" target="_blank">Read more at <em>Friendly Atheist</em></a> <span style="color: #808080;" class="font-size-1">(where the photo on top came from)</span></li>
<li>Look up your state representative and state senator at <a href="http://www.votesmart.org/" target="_blank">Project Vote Smart</a>, or at Pennsylvania's <a href="http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/index.cfm" target="_blank">Find Your Legislator</a> page.</li>
</ul>
<p>Please let us know how your state legislators react to your calls or emails. Thanks!</p>
<p></p> Chambersburg City Council removes Nativity Display over Atheist Requesttag:www.atheistnexus.org,2009-11-30:2182797:Topic:6256802009-11-30T00:14:27.982ZCarolynhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Carolyn148
In the news over the past week: The Pennsylvania town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambersburg,_Pennsylvania" target="_blank">Chambersburg</a> has for years had a traditional Nativity scene displayed in its Memorial Square, which is public property. <br></br>
<br></br>
A member of <a href="http://www.panonbelievers.org/" target="_blank">Pennsylvania Nonbelievers</a> (a chapter of American Atheists), sent a letter to City Council requesting that a simple sign be placed on the square…
In the news over the past week: The Pennsylvania town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambersburg,_Pennsylvania" target="_blank">Chambersburg</a> has for years had a traditional Nativity scene displayed in its Memorial Square, which is public property. <br/>
<br/>
A member of <a href="http://www.panonbelievers.org/" target="_blank">Pennsylvania Nonbelievers</a> (a chapter of American Atheists), sent a letter to City Council requesting that a simple sign be placed on the square honoring Atheist Veterans. <br/>
<br/>
The council's response was to ban all non-secular displays, rather than allow this one. Their concern was that any extremist group could then demand to have a display posted on public property.<br/>
<br/>
Unsurprisingly, there were angry responses from many Christians, some of whom aimed their vitriol at atheists in general, and at Carl Silverman, the individual who requested the sign.<br/>
<br/>
On Saturday there was a protest to demand restoration of the Nativity, which was attended by around 100 people according to estimates.<br />
<hr/><b>Links</b><br/> <u>PA Nonbelievers Blog:</u><br/> <br/>
<a href="http://www.panonbelievers.org/2009/11/24/chambersburg-borough-council-decides-nativity-scene-must-be-removed-from-memorial-square-fountain-area/" target="_blank">Chambersburg Borough Council decides nativity scene must be removed from Memorial Square fountain area</a><br/>
<br/>
<a href="http://www.panonbelievers.org/2009/11/26/letter-from-chambersburg-area-atheist-veteran/" target="_blank">Letter from Chambersburg Area Atheist Veteran</a><br/>
<br/>
<u>News Outlets:</u><br/>
<br/>
<a href="http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/11/less_than_100_march_on_chamber.html" target="_blank">Group marches on Chambersburg's public square to restore Nativity scene banned by borough council</a><br/>
<br/>
<a href="http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/11/chambersburg_bans_town-square.html" target="_blank">Chambersburg bans town-square displays over non-Christian request</a><br/>
<br/>
<u>Americans United:</u><br/>
<br/>
<a href="http://blog.au.org/2009/11/27/christmas-clash-religious-right-exploits-battles-over-symbols-and-songs/" target="_blank">Christmas Clash: Religious Right Exploits Battles Over Symbols And Songs</a><br/>
<br/>
<br/> Schuylkill County...anyone interested in having real life get-togethers?tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2008-09-23:2182797:Topic:1143542008-09-23T08:17:36.878ZCarolynhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Carolyn148
I live in Schuylkill county and want to know if anybody is interested in meeting once a month or so for discussion, hanging out, or just socializing with fellow free thinkers. We could meet at a bar or restaurant, have a few drinks (or not), eat a meal, and talk. If there is enough interest we could aim towards eventually starting a local group (goals, if any, to be defined later)
I live in Schuylkill county and want to know if anybody is interested in meeting once a month or so for discussion, hanging out, or just socializing with fellow free thinkers. We could meet at a bar or restaurant, have a few drinks (or not), eat a meal, and talk. If there is enough interest we could aim towards eventually starting a local group (goals, if any, to be defined later) Where in PA are you?tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2008-07-18:2182797:Topic:404542008-07-18T23:59:54.389ZCarolynhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Carolyn148
Let's try this for conversation. East, West, North, South? Smack in the middle, off to the left little? Where <i>are</i> you?
Let's try this for conversation. East, West, North, South? Smack in the middle, off to the left little? Where <i>are</i> you? Pennsylvania Atheiststag:www.atheistnexus.org,2008-07-09:2182797:Topic:127222008-07-09T21:21:56.982ZCarolynhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Carolyn148
There's two groups for Philly and one group for Pittsburgh, but nothing for the rest of the state. It's a pretty big state, really. And I don't know if anyone's noticed, but gas is awfully pricey nowadays and the option of driving three plus hours to either of these cities (don't get me wrong, Pitt, I <i>do</i> love you...and Philly, sorry but I've never been) is not really an option at all. Here's a little group to help us find each other, hopefully a little closer, and maybe folks can go grab…
There's two groups for Philly and one group for Pittsburgh, but nothing for the rest of the state. It's a pretty big state, really. And I don't know if anyone's noticed, but gas is awfully pricey nowadays and the option of driving three plus hours to either of these cities (don't get me wrong, Pitt, I <i>do</i> love you...and Philly, sorry but I've never been) is not really an option at all. Here's a little group to help us find each other, hopefully a little closer, and maybe folks can go grab beers (or what have you).<br />
<br />
So...who are ya? Where are ya? Whaddayado? Either put it here or feel free to start your very own thread. :)